Mauricio Pochettino: I’m not available for Argentina job

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has alerted the Argentine FA that he is not available to replace Jorge Sampaoli as La Albiceleste coach.

Lionel Scaloni has been handling the Argentine national side in an interim capacity since the sacking of Jorge Sampaoli following La Albiceleste’s dismal outing at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia where they were ousted by eventual champions France in the Second Round.

Pochettino has been linked with his country’s national team but he has stated he still has a contract with his club.

“That they think about me for the Argentina national team is something which fills me with pride, but I have a contract of four more years here. So that possibility is not something feasible,” Pochettino told DirectTv.

Meanwhile, AFA president Claudio Tapia has come out to speak in regards to the new coach hunt for La Albiceleste and the the progress of the team under caretaker manager, Scaloni.

Speaking to the media, Tapia confirmed that a decision will be made at the end of the year to decide on who will manage Argentina.

“We haven’t spoken to anyone, not managers, not coaches. We have to be respectful towards Scaloni, Aimar and Samuel. They are doing a great job, the Argentina national team is growing,” Tapia said.

“We had the chance to see kids who are growing. We played against Brazil, the best national team of South America.

”There are five or six players that weren’t taken into account. Before the World Cup, we didn’t have Pezzella, Saravia, Bustos, Ascacibar, Paredes, Battaglia. The future is not that far sway. We have the heritage, we have to keep working and at the end of the year, we will decide.”

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